Weight Hacking – Week 2 Update

Week two of weight hacking is done. It’s time to review how the week went. Like last week, we will review and learn from this week using a scrum sprint review and retrospective. For a brief description of scrum and why we are using a common software development framework to review weight loss, see Weight Hacking – Week 1.

Review

Body Progress

Over the next six weeks, the weekly changes will be less drastic. I am happy with where I am after week 2.

NOTE: Weight loss does not result in body-hair loss. The Day 7 picture landed just after a monthly “maintenance cycle”.

Week 2 – Day 1

Week 2 – Day 7

Weight Loss Progress

NOTE: I weighed myself first thing each morning. Number one was to go #1. Number two was to step on the scale. I logged my daily weight in MyFitnessPal.

Week 2 – Day 1

Week 2 – Day 7

As expected, the scale bounced around during the week but trended towards down. The reason I weigh every morning is to keep myself in check. This is a quantitative daily assessment of what happened yesterday. I wake up and face the scale. I look at the number and think back to what happened yesterday. If this number results in stress, I channel that stress to action. I plan better or vow to stick to the plan better. I plan to substitute a meal with a protein shake or to go for a morning run. I see slippage as a balance on a credit card. It needs to be paid off and it will not go away on its own. Action is required.

Week 2 Weight Graph

Food and Exercise Log

The food and exercise log is a lot of information. To save you from scrolling past it to get to the retrospective, the food and exercise log is provided as Review Appendix A – Food and Exercise Log below.

Retrospective

What went well?

Losing weight: I dropped 3.4 lbs this week for a total loss of 10.6 lbs.

eMeals: Buying groceries for the week on eMeals was, once again, a success. We buy groceries on Sunday and start the meals with lunch or dinner on that Sunday.

Pact: I completed my first Pact of running three times a week for 30 minutes. I didn’t take a $5 hit for any missed sessions. My $1.50 reward is on its way! I think I’ll start an “equipment fund” and save up for 50% the cost of a pair of running shoes or Lululemon shorts.

Planning: There were a few times where planning helped me stay on track. Before two restaurant outings this week, I scouted the restaurant’s online menu for options in advance to eliminate a spontaneous “bad choice”. I also downed 1/2 a protein shake 15 minutes before leaving to prevent the urge to snack on pre-meal freebies like chips and bread. Before a road trip to Dallas, I packed up some MCT oil powder and two protein shakes. While my co-pilot enjoyed McDonalds and Chick-fil-a, I enjoyed some Bulletproof Coffee and a shake. Editor’s Note: The co-pilot was not Leah.

Cold Bath: On Wednesday, I took a cold bath a lunch instead of exercise. I ran the bath using only cold water, started on audiobook on speaker and jumped in for 25 minutes. The first 30 seconds was rough. After that, I wasn’t really cold, but I was constantly shivering, sometimes comically. Shivering in cold is a no-impact way to burn 100 calories per 15 minutes. I learned this on accident during a jiu jitsu weight-cut where three hours at an indoor water park experiencing water heater problems resulted in much lower than expected number on the scale the following morning.

What didn’t go so well?

Daily Calories: Not considering exercise adjustment, I ran high in my daily calories a few times. If I want to stay under 1,500/day, I’ll need to keep a closer eye on the calories on individual ingredients going into meals. The closer I get to my goal of 165 lbs, the closer I will need to stick to this limit.

Week 2 Non-Adjusted Daily Calories

What have I learned?

Three 30-minute run sessions are possible: The Pact requirement of running three times a week for 30 minutes made me find a way to make it happen. There was even a 6 am session during 30-degree weather. It’s just enough incentive to get me out the door. I don’t need to run at lunch to get all three sessions in.

Calorie restriction prevents sleeping in: On the weekends, I don’t usually set my alarm. My natural cycle wakes me up at about 6 am. Sometimes I hear it raining or remember that today’s calendar is otherwise clear and I go back to sleep. Now my natural sleep cycle wakes me up at about 4:30 am (my usual weekly wake-up time). I often wake up a few minutes before my alarm goes off. I wake up because I am hungry. This is a great motivator to get out of bed. My daily calories are at 0! I get to eat bacon! Let’s go! I know how important sleep is to mental and physical recovery, but too much is a waste for me. I don’t feel sleepy throughout the day, so I think this hunger-driven attitude towards waking up is a good thing.

What still puzzles me?

Could I start a strength program without adding mass? I am interested in putting on muscle mass during the next 6 weeks. However, I missing moving weights and would like a short strength-based session a few times a week. To build long, lean muscle, I will need low-medium weight loads at high reps. I will try adding a few 5-minute kettlebell swing sessions a week. We’ll see if the itch is scratched.

Conclusion

Week 2 is done. I’d love to see your reviews and retrospectives. Please share your progress in the comments here or in the Weight Hackers Facebook group. The Facebook group is open. Please join in the conversation and support get support from fellow weight hackers.